Highlights: Small naval action at Broome
Allied ships lost:
AM Horsham
Enemy ships sunk:
PB Hinode Maru #20
Northwestern Australia:
Naval lsearch has spotted a small convoy at Broome. Despite the massive presence of the RN at Exmouth, the fuel situation permitted only a minimum effort of one lone DD sent on a full-speed-run to Broome. HMS Inconstant depth-charged a lurking sub on the run-in and dispatched a PB and damaged a few xAKLs.
Near Corunna Downs, Aussie tanks forced enemy troops into a hasty retreat.
SWPac:
Old CLs bombarded PM once again, causing light damage.
Old CAs bombarded Milne Bay, finding the missing /C part of the IJA 18th Division.
Hunters became the hunted when I-170 torpedoed and sank AM Horsham on ASW patrol near PM.
B-17s from Coen bombarded PM after muscling aside Oscars on CAP, three fighters downed for no losses.
A deliberate ground attack at PM reduced the forts to level 2 but at the costs of many disabled squads.
SoPac:
B-17s from Suva visited Funafuti and ran into Rufes on CAP, losing two brand-new B-17Fs and causing less than 200 casualties on the ground.
Selected action reports:
Code: Select all
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Sub attack near Broome at 59,127
Japanese Ships
SS I-5, hits 7
Allied Ships
DD Inconstant
SS I-5 launches 2 torpedoes
DD Inconstant fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Inconstant attacking submerged sub ....
DD Inconstant fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Inconstant attacking submerged sub ....
DD Inconstant attacking submerged sub ....
Escort abandons search for sub
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Broome at 62,127, Range 10,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
PB Hinode Maru #20, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Hachirogata Maru, Shell hits 2
xAKL Anbo Maru, Shell hits 1
xAKL Kosho Maru, Shell hits 26, heavy fires, heavy damage
Allied Ships
DD Inconstant
Reduced sighting due to 28% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 28% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 10,000 yards
Japanese ships attempt to get underway
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Hachirogata Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Anbo Maru at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Hachirogata Maru at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
PB Hinode Maru #20 sunk by DD Inconstant at 6,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 2,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 2,000 yards
DD Inconstant engages xAKL Kosho Maru at 2,000 yards
Japanese Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...
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Night Naval bombardment of Port Moresby at 98,130
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 2 damaged
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
CL Trenton
CL Detroit
CL Raleigh
CL Concord
DD Dale
DD Aylwin
DD Stack
DD Benham
DD Gridley
DD Blue
DD Bagley
Japanese ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 1
CL Trenton firing at 18th/A Division
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CL Detroit
CL Detroit firing at 18th/A Division
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CL Raleigh
CL Raleigh firing at 21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
CL Concord firing at 18th/A Division
DD Dale firing at 21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
DD Aylwin firing at 21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
DD Stack firing at 18th/A Division
DD Benham firing at 21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
DD Gridley firing at Port Moresby
DD Blue firing at Port Moresby
DD Bagley firing at 18th/A Division
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Night Naval bombardment of Milne Bay at 101,133
Allied Ships
CA Chicago
CA Louisville
CA Chester
CA Northampton
CA Indianapolis
CA Portland
Japanese ground losses:
180 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Port hits 35
Port supply hits 3
CA Chicago firing at Milne Bay
CA Louisville firing at Milne Bay
CA Chester firing at 18th/C Division
CA Northampton firing at Milne Bay
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Indianapolis
CA Indianapolis firing at Milne Bay
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Portland
CA Portland firing at 18th/C Division
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Ground combat at Port Moresby (98,130)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32088 troops, 510 guns, 235 vehicles, Assault Value = 942
Defending force 15776 troops, 158 guns, 192 vehicles, Assault Value = 348
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Allied adjusted assault: 664
Japanese adjusted defense: 1253
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), disruption(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: fatigue(-)
Japanese ground losses:
910 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 21 (7 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
979 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 155 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Assaulting units:
7th Australian Division
6th Australian Division
8th Australian Division
Defending units:
8th Ind Engineer Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
18th/A Division
42nd JNAF AF Unit
54th Field AA Battalion
17th Army
53rd Field AA Battalion
304th Ship Eng Coy
26th JAAF AF Bn
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Ground combat at 58,131 (near Corunna Downs)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 570 troops, 0 guns, 106 vehicles, Assault Value = 59
Defending force 1520 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31
Allied adjusted assault: 26
Japanese adjusted defense: 11
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
634 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units retreated 2
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
2/10th Armoured Regiment
Defending units:
91st Naval Guard Unit
42nd Field Const Co